AhlulBayt News Agency

source : Press TV
Friday

23 September 2011

8:30:00 PM
267596

Bahraini forces arrest over 70 protesters

Saudi-backed Bahraini forces have arrested over 70 protesters in the past 24-hours, most of them women, as the country holds its controversial by-elections.

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Some 30 people were arrested in the town of Sanabis for staging protest rallies against the ruling Al Khalifa regime.

 Regime forces also arrested 38 women and six children on Friday for taking part in anti-government demonstrations in a mall in the heart of the capital, Manama.

 The women were calling for an end to the regime's nearly 40-year long rule when the Saudi-backed forces stormed into the mall.

 The country's attorney general announced that the women will be imprisoned for 45 days while an investigation into the matter takes place.

 “More than 40 women were interrogated. Among the 45 detainees, 6 were children,” said Reem Khalaf, a lawyer present at the scene.

 “All those held since yesterday have not been allowed food, drinks, use of bathroom, prayers, and were not allowed to call their families or a lawyer,” Khalaf added.

 Khalaf further said that some of the detainees were taken to a military hospital last night since they had been beaten earlier during their detention.

 Bahrain held a parliamentary by-election on Saturday that has so far been boycotted by thousands.

 Al-Wefaq, the main opposition group, said the regime has stopped airing the elections over fears of its embarrassingly low turnout.

 Manama held the by-elections to replace the 18 lawmakers that resigned months ago to protest the regime's brutal crackdown on anti-government demonstrators.

 Local media earlier reported that the regime has even considered punishing eligible voters that have refused to take part in the election.

 Bahraini authorities stepped up crackdown on anti-government activists prior to the elections.

 Bahrain is going through a revolution that began in mid-February. Since then, dozens of people have been killed and hundreds more injured.

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